First Pinoy to join Spartathlon finishes world's "toughest ultramarathon"
Rolando "Junjun" Espina Jr., the first Filipino to join the Spartathlon, the world's "toughest ultramarathon"
Rolando "Junjun" Espina Jr., the first Filipino to join the Spartathlon, the world's "toughest ultramarathon," celebrates at the statue of Leonidas after completing the grueling 264.8-kilometer route from Athens to Sparta
Rolando "Junjun" Espina Jr., 42 years old, is the first Filipino to join the Spartathlon, dubbed the world’s “toughest ultramarathon”, completed the most grueling 246.8-kilometer race on Saturday, bagging a permanent slot for the Philippine flag at finish line, the statue of Leonidas in the Greek city of Sparta.
Espina is a nurse from Bacolod City, Negros Occidental who lives and works in Ireland. He is also a veteran marathon runner and triathlete. He had finished around 80 marathons and ultramarathons as well as at least five Ironman events over the past several years.
According to the official results posted on the Spartathlon site, Espina finished the race at 89th place, with a time of 33:17:33. He crossed the finish line around 9:30 p.m. Philippine time, Saturday. From 392 participants for this year’s event, only 234 runners finished the race.
Spartathlon is a historic ultra-distance foot race that takes place in September of every year in Greece. It is one of the most difficult and satisfying ultra-distance races in the world because of its unique history and background. The idea for its creation belongs to John Foden, a British RAF Wing Commander. As a lover of Greece and student of ancient Greek history, Foden stopped his reading of Herodotus' narration regarding Pheidippides, puzzled and wondering if a modern man could cover the distance from Athens to Sparta, i.e. 250 kms, within 36 hours.
Described as the world's most grueling race, the Spartathlon runs over rough tracks and muddy paths (often it rains during the race), crosses vineyards and olive groves, climbs steep hillsides and, most challenging of all, takes the runners on the 1,200 meter ascent and descent of Mount Parthenio in the dead of night.
Runners not only have to clock in at 75 checkpoints along the route, they have to meet the cut-off time set for each of the checkpoints.
Rolando "Junjun" Espina Jr., the first Filipino to join the Spartathlon, the world's "toughest ultramarathon," celebrates at the statue of Leonidas after completing the grueling 264.8-kilometer route from Athens to Sparta
Rolando "Junjun" Espina Jr., 42 years old, is the first Filipino to join the Spartathlon, dubbed the world’s “toughest ultramarathon”, completed the most grueling 246.8-kilometer race on Saturday, bagging a permanent slot for the Philippine flag at finish line, the statue of Leonidas in the Greek city of Sparta.
Espina is a nurse from Bacolod City, Negros Occidental who lives and works in Ireland. He is also a veteran marathon runner and triathlete. He had finished around 80 marathons and ultramarathons as well as at least five Ironman events over the past several years.
According to the official results posted on the Spartathlon site, Espina finished the race at 89th place, with a time of 33:17:33. He crossed the finish line around 9:30 p.m. Philippine time, Saturday. From 392 participants for this year’s event, only 234 runners finished the race.
Spartathlon is a historic ultra-distance foot race that takes place in September of every year in Greece. It is one of the most difficult and satisfying ultra-distance races in the world because of its unique history and background. The idea for its creation belongs to John Foden, a British RAF Wing Commander. As a lover of Greece and student of ancient Greek history, Foden stopped his reading of Herodotus' narration regarding Pheidippides, puzzled and wondering if a modern man could cover the distance from Athens to Sparta, i.e. 250 kms, within 36 hours.
Described as the world's most grueling race, the Spartathlon runs over rough tracks and muddy paths (often it rains during the race), crosses vineyards and olive groves, climbs steep hillsides and, most challenging of all, takes the runners on the 1,200 meter ascent and descent of Mount Parthenio in the dead of night.
Runners not only have to clock in at 75 checkpoints along the route, they have to meet the cut-off time set for each of the checkpoints.
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